Nuclear Weapons: Op-Ed

Topic statement: Nuclear weapons pose one of the biggest threats to international security and humanity.

Write an op-ed (short article of 1000 words + references) on a topic that is relevant to this course.

The op-ed should have one clear message to the reader. (Examples: North Korea does not pose a security threat to Canada or the progress of Russia’s war on Ukraine offers us important lessons for nuclear security.) A good op-ed might start with a contemporary hook (preferably something that happened within the last year) aimed at inducing the reader to continue reading, by establishing why the reader ought to care. A good op-ed should also allow you (the writer) to clearly state your opinion in the very first paragraph. Later, the article should offer evidence-backed arguments for this message, with supporting details, and deal with any obvious counterarguments. These are intended to show that you have a strong command of the subject you are writing about, and thereby help persuade the reader that your opinion is to be considered seriously. The organization of the article should be logical and compelling. The conclusion, which restates your message, should follow naturally from the arguments and evidence offered in the article.

You should use appropriate references to show sources of evidence. A good way to introduce such references, especially if they are by famous people or involves a famous document, is to mention the name in the text itself. [Example: As the 1946 Acheson-Lilienthal plan warned, “The development of atomic energy for peaceful purposes and the development of atomic energy for bombs are in much of their course interchangeable and interdependent.”] You can include sources in the form of hyperlinks (something that is common in a lot of online newspaper articles) or at the end as references. 

Add an appropriate and punchy title and include your final word count (not including references) in your submission.       

The grading of the op-ed will be based on the rubric below.

Pay special attention to the arguments, which comprises the main component of the grade. Any confusion in these (mixing up different concepts, for example) will lower your grade. Please copy edit carefully. You will be penalized by up to 10 percent of the total grade if you have spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. 

The word limit will be strictly applied. If you exceed 1000 words, every extra 50 words will result in 1 point being taken off. The word count does not include references and the title and your name (which should be included in the op-ed). Likewise, late submissions will also be penalized in the manner described in the syllabus.